FEATURED

We are delighted to welcome the Great Tapestry of Scotland to Stirling Castle as part of its national tour. It is officially the largest embroidered tapestry in the world and tells the story of Scotland’s history.

Fool around at Edinburgh Castle this Easter!

Scotland’s favourite heritage attraction, Edinburgh Castle, is set for a cracking Easter!

The iconic stronghold is hosting ‘Easter Revelry’ - a long weekend of fun-filled and interactive family shows featuring magic, juggling, comedy and dance on Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th and Monday 25th April.

Starting at 12 noon and finishing at 4pm on each of the three days, the event promises a packed and varied programme with entertainment from The Tartan Juggler, magical wizard Kramus Nexifius, comic Easter favourites Baron Hardegg and Hugo Softboiled, colourful Renaissance dancers Danse Ecosse, and birds of prey.

And there are lots of treats in store for children, who’ll have a chance to bag a fantastic prize in Roary the Lion’s Easter Expl-roar-er Quiz. Little explorers will be challenged to test their knowledge of Edinburgh Castle and the stronghold’s expert team of stewards will be on hand to help out. No child will go home empty-handed so there’s no need for parents to fear tantrums or tears!

Entry to Edinburgh Castle, and the ‘Easter Revelry’ event, is free for Historic Scotland members - so if you buy membership on the day, there’s no charge for all of the great entertainment and of course the opportunity to make the most of your day out by exploring the attraction.

Costing less than £7 a month for a family, membership enables free admission to all of Historic Scotland’s 78 paid-entry visitor attractions throughout the country, as well as free entry to a host of special events taking place at them throughout the year.

For non-members, the cost of the event is included in the castle’s normal admission price: adult £14, concession £11.20 and child £8.20.

Edinburgh Castle Executive Manager Nick Finnigan said: “Our Easter Revelry event is all about fun for all the family so the programme features a range of performances that all ages can enjoy and activities that families can join in and do together. It’s an opportunity to enjoy a really great day out at Edinburgh Castle, taking part in the fun, experiencing the shows, and exploring the castle.

“Special events like this really demonstrate the value of Historic Scotland membership because you can enjoy a fantastic day out at family events like this or free. And for non-members too, as all the entertainment included in the ticket price, it’s excellent value for a visit to Scotland’s most famous attraction.”

To add to visitors’ enjoyment, the Queen Anne Café in the castle’s Crown Square is offering a tempting Easter menu for £18.50. This features starters of minestroni soup, hot smoked salmon Caesar salad, and Haggis, neeps and tatties, with mains including Mediterranean vegetable cannelloni, and roast saddle of lamb, wit herb stuffing, gratin potatoes and sugar snap peas. Desserts include rich dark chocolate tart with strawberries and hot apple pie and vanilla sauce

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Edinburgh Castle is one of 345 outstanding historic properties and sites throughout the country in the care of Historic Scotland. These include some of Scotland’s leading tourism attractions and most important heritage sites. Some of the most popular, in addition to Edinburgh Castle, include Stirling, St Andrews and Urquhart Castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace, the Border Abbeys, and Skara Brae. For further details visit: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places

Historic Scotland’s mission is: to safeguard Scotland’s historic environment and to promote its understanding and enjoyment.

For details of Historic Scotland’s exciting 2011 events programme – which features a diverse range of colourful events at historic attractions throughout the country - visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events